


Second Chances

by justanotherfanaccount



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Injury Recovery, Missions, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25443004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherfanaccount/pseuds/justanotherfanaccount
Summary: What happens to Neji and Tenten's relationship when Tenten is gravely injured on what was supposed to be a routine mission? Will their relationship become strained, or will they become closer than ever?
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	Second Chances

Tenten screamed as pain ripped through her, one of her beloved weapons having torn through the tendon in her left elbow. It was agony—as if fire was burning her from the inside out, threatening to consume her.

She was sitting with her back to a large tree, a rope wound around her torso, connecting her to the giant stump, while more rope tied her ankles together. Tenten knew she was still in the forest—that much was obvious—but she could not tell where. Not that it mattered; she didn't think she could get herself out of this situation anyway.

Her attacker grinned at her response, his eyes twinkling in perverted glee at seeing her writhe before him. He slid the kunai slowly from her body, enjoying the way her eyebrows pulled together and her teeth clenched to keep the pain from overtaking her. He had already spent what seemed like hours torturing her body as he tried to extract information from her. But Tenten was strong—a formidable kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves—and she wouldn't be so easily broken.

"Are you ready to tell me where the Junchuriki brat is?" he asked, his face so close to hers she could smell his putrid breath.

Tenten sneered at him in response. "Are you ready to brush your teeth? God, have you ever brushed your teeth? I'm surprised my nose hasn't fallen off."

Without warning, a hand whipped out and slapped her across the face, the sting so sudden and sharp tears sprung to her eyes. She blinked them back, having promised herself not to break down in front of this disgusting piece of trash. A gasp tore from her throat when she was pulled back by her hair, until her neck was at an awkward angle looking up at the now-fuming man.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you," he hissed, eyes burning with a crazed fury the likes she had never seen before. "But not until you tell me where that good-for-nothing thing is hiding."

Tenten refused to scream the next time he pierced her with her own kunai, this time in her shoulder. Her eyes closed tight as she fought against the pain, reminding herself she was able to take anything he threw at her. This was what she was trained for.

_I won't betray you, Naruto,_ she thought fiercely.

She only hoped that her comrades found her before it was too late.

.

.

.

The clearing had been quiet after they had awoken—too quiet. It had been an ambush, something Neji hadn't seen coming, despite his byakugan. They had arrived in a clearing, ready to fight their enemies, while Tenten had remained behind to give them cover. She would fight from a distance, as she always did, to cover them as they fought hand-to-hand with their adversaries.

However, that is not what had happened. Instead, he and Lee had appeared in the clearing moments before a gas bomb exploded in their wake. They hadn't had time to fall back before the gas permeated their lungs, lulling them into unconsciousness.

Tenten had not been there, helping to rouse them from their sleep. After they had awoken, it took Neji only a few moments to ascertain the worst—she had been taken. Weapons littered the ground around them, evidence of her attempt to protect her comrades from whoever had thrown the sleeping bomb. He knew her well enough to know she would not have chased them if they tried to flee; her first instinct would be to make sure her team was safe and unharmed. They would be able to track them later, with Neji's byuakugan.

No, she had been stolen from them. Neji didn't know how it had happened—she was a strong shinobi, one of the few he trusted with his life—but if they were able to trick his whole team, which consisted of a Jounin and two Chuunins, then they were definitely more dangerous than Konohagakure had first feared.

Neji would never forgive himself for being so careless and allowing this to happen, and he would not rest until they had found her. No matter what it took.

.

.

.

Despite her pain, Tenten couldn't help but wonder how this seemingly routine mission had gone so awry. Konohagakure had received threatening letters, asking for the whereabouts of Naruto after he left the village with Gai, Yamato and Ebisu in order to hide him from the Akatsuki. Tenten was aware of other people seeking him out—not many people appreciated that he held the nine-tailed beast within him—but didn't think they would be much of a threat. Not compared to the Akatsuki, at least.

However, the letters started coming more frequently, and some even contained harmful substances which could have killed an innocent person if they were not careful. It had gotten so bad that Lady Tsunade ordered Neji and his team—sans Gai—to track him down. Kurenai's team would have been a better fit, since they had Kiba and Shino—two great trackers—but they were out of the village on a mission of their own. Therefore, the responsibility had fallen to Neji, Lee and Tenten.

She would not have thought this vile, evil man would be capable of being so cunning, but he had proven his worth as an opponent by his rendering her two comrades unconscious after tricking Neji into appearing in the clearing. Tenten was far enough behind to not be caught in the gas, and she had tried to fight him off as he approached her friends. But he had stopped in front of Neji, holding his head up by his hair while he pressed a kunai to his throat. He threatened to kill him if Tenten made another move, and Tenten had locked up immediately. She didn't care if he was bluffing—she would not risk Neji's life.

The man—Tenten couldn't bring herself to call him a ninja, since he didn't deserve such a title—had smiled when she relented. He bound her, gagged her and dragged her behind him until he was satisfied he was far enough away from the two sleeping shinobi. Tenten was surprised he hadn't killed them anyway, but she was grateful that they were safe.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as a boot slammed into her chest. Tenten felt a rib crack under the pressure and the breath wooshed out of her, so much that black spots danced before her eyes.

.

.

.

"Neji, slow down," Lee called from somewhere behind him. Neji refused to listen, though, his feet barely touching the branches as he flew from tree to tree. "You will be no help to Tenten if you exhaust yourself before reaching her."

Lee's logic was sound, but Neji wasn't in his right mind. He would fight despite exhaustion if he had to. And he _would_ win.

Neji pushed on, his byakugan searching the surrounding woods for where Tenten could be. He suspected that their attacker—or attackers, he wasn't sure—would have taken her far enough away to hide, but not too far. Since the forest they were in was large in size, he had no doubt they remained somewhere within it.

.

.

.

Tenten hadn't realized it was possible to throw up from so much pain, but after hours of relentless torture, her body had seized up and she had vomited all over herself. It was degrading to be covered in her own filth, but she at least hoped that it would keep him from touching her.

He had suggested, after multiple injuries hadn't loosened her tongue, that he would have to try a different kind of torture. His eyes had grazed her body in a slow perusal that had Tenten's stomach roiling from the glint in his grazed eyes. After breaking another of her fingers—the third on her right hand—she couldn't hold back any longer and she lost her breakfast, spattering all over herself and partly on him. Despite the immense pain she was in, Tenten couldn't help but feel somewhat triumphant as his face turned from a sick desire to disgusted.

She was so relieved to have put him off that she barely even felt as he slapped her in the face in retaliation.

.

.

.

Neji knew he was close. He couldn't see them, not yet, but he knew they were travelling in the right direction. Lee kept up with him despite Neji's gruelling pace, and for that Neji was grateful. He would not be able to slow himself down even if he wanted to—his need to find Tenten was too strong. It was his fault this had happened. His fault for not securing the area properly, for letting his teammate be taken from him. And for that, he would not stop until she was safely back at his side.

He refused to let himself think about what might happen if he was too late.

.

.

.

Bile filled her mouth and dripped down her chin as Tenten fought to stay awake. She had lost so much blood—too much—and she knew if she fell asleep now, she may not wake up again. She needed to stay strong despite her body protesting against her, wanting nothing more than to rest, her limbs long ago having grown numb from exhaustion.

The man was fuming as he paced in front of her, his face scrunched up with disgust while he tugged on his regurgitated dumpling covered shirt. Tenten would have laughed at his expression if she wasn't so certain she was about to pass out. It took everything in her not to.

He turned to her, his face terrifying as he crouched down in front of her. "You will tell me where that bastard Jinchuriki is before you die, little girl. I will see to that."

Hands ripped her shirt away from her body. Tenten gasped at the intrusion, the movement making her whole body ache as another wave of agonising pain shot through her. She tried to lift her arms to push him away, but they were useless beside her. She was certain he had broken her wrist as well as her fingers on her right hand, and her left arm barely moved, the tendon no doubt torn from where he had cut her.

Suddenly, Tenten wanted nothing more than to pass out. If she was going to be defiled by this man, she didn't want to be awake to witness it. Even if it meant never waking up again; at least Tenten knew she had held out until the end. She would never betray her comrades—her _friends_ —like that. The smallest hint of a smile touched her lips as her eyes drooped closed, proud of herself for staying strong.

.

.

.

"There!" Neji pointed, knowing Lee wouldn't be able to see what he saw. His jaw clenched at the sight that greeted him; a man pulling Tenten's shirt from her body. Rage, the likes he had never felt before, seized him and it took everything in him not to rush into their clearing and beat the man to death. He couldn't see her wounds but her chakra signs were weak and she wasn't fighting back—both very bad signs. "We have to go, Lee. Now!"

"Wait, Neji." Lee placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. "What if he has another trap waiting for us? We have to be careful."

Neji had thought of that, of course, despite his fury, but there had been no signs of foul-play anywhere nearby. Even if there were, it would be a risk they would have to take. Neji refused to wait any longer. He turned to glare at his comrade. "I doubt he would have had time to set anything up after taking her, Lee. We do not have time to wait."

Without looking back, Neji leapt across the few remaining trees until he landed in the clearing, knowing Lee was right behind him. The man jumped away from Tenten, his eyes darkening at the two new intruders, but Neji wasn't paying him any attention. His eyes were wide as he stared at the unconscious woman. Blood was everywhere. It pooled onto the dirt below her, dripped into her lap and soaked her clothes. Her once-white outfit was almost completely red now. Both of her arms hung at her sides; her right wrist and fingers twisted in an unnatural angle.

The man had ripped the front of her outfit open, but had not yet gotten to the bindings around her chest. For that, Neji was grateful. It wasn't enough to quell his rage, though, and Neji rounded on the enemy, knowing his death would be quick—but one filled with immense pain.

Lee was fighting him, and Neji could tell their enemy wasn't good at hand-to-hand combat. Which explained why he had been so adamant on keeping his distance—both by his letters and with his ambush earlier.

He waited until Lee lured the man into Neji's range. He shifted one leg back, the other forward and he bent at the waist, his hands spreading as he readied his stance. He studied the man's chakra points, knowing exactly which ones to hit for him to be in excruciating pain. Usually, Neji wasn't cruel—not like he had been as a child—but he knew he would relish every moment of this person's pain before he killed him. He would pay dearly for what he did to Tenten.

.

.

.

Lee knew, from some unspoken acknowledgement between them, that this was Neji's fight. He pushed the man who had hurt Tenten until he was standing in Neji's range before rushing to his fallen comrade's side. He wanted to watch the man hurt for what he had done, but he knew he had to care for Tenten. She was pale, her skin cold and clammy under his touch, her breathing shallow.

She was dying.

Lee shook his head vehemently, refusing to cry. She would _not_ die. But what could he do? He did not have Sakura's skills as a medical shinobi and therefore could not heal her himself. He dug into his chuunin vest and pulled out a food pill. There were many different kinds, and they helped shinobi in a variety of ways—from strength to stamina to endurance—but this one was designed to help with healing. It contained herbs that were specifically designed to stop the flow of blood from wounds and assist with their recovery. Lee knew it was a long shot, but it was the only option he had.

"You are going to be alright, Tenten," he whispered as he opened her mouth to slip the food pill inside. He had to work her jaw and rub her throat so she would swallow it, but eventually she got it down.

A body dropped to the ground beside him and he looked up to see Neji kneeling, his face twisted in pain as he stared at their friend. Lee knew Tenten meant a lot to Neji—more than Neji would ever care to admit—and his heart broke at seeing the unconcealed pain on his friend's face. Neji was always so careful to guard his emotions, even with his closest friends, so seeing him like this, his arms outstretched in hesitation towards Tenten and unshed tears in his eyes, made Lee lose control.

.

.

.

Lee was crying.

Which didn't help Neji's resolve at all. It was all he could do to hold it together as he stared at Tenten, so pale and so still in front of him. Was she already dead? No. Her chest continued to rise and fall with her breaths, but it was shallow. She was growing weaker.

They had to move. He could break down later, if he had to. Right now, he had to do his job as their Team Leader and get them all home safely.

"Lee, take off your vest," he ordered quietly. He cut the ropes binding Tenten's ankles and torso and pulled her away from the tree and against his chest. Lee helped him put the chuunin vest around her shoulders and he zipped it up, covering her bare skin. She had wounds everywhere but they couldn't do much about them right now. Their first priority was to get her to the hospital so that Lady Tsunade could save her.

Lee leaned forward to pick Tenten up but paused when he looked into Neji's glaring face. "Let me carry her, Neji."

"I will carry her," Neji replied, angrier than he should be. He knew he was being irrational—it didn't matter who carried her—but Lee let it go without arguing. He lifted Tenten to a standing position and Neji hooked his arms around the back of her knees and waist to hoist her into his arms.

He was glad it was only a half day's travel back to Konohagakure. Every fibre in his being told him to run as fast as he could until he made it home, but he knew he had to be careful. They would travel fast, but not so fast so as to hurt her even more.

"Be strong, Tenten," he murmured. He pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead. "You must live."

.

.

.

The pain was the first indication to Tenten that she was alive. That and the murmuring of voices above her. She hurt too much to care what was happening around her, and so she didn't even try to open her eyes to find out what was going on.

The pain eased somewhat and Tenten felt herself getting drawn back into sleep. She welcomed it, since there she would not feel anything, and she allowed herself to drift off.

When Tenten woke again, her pain had subsided to a body-wide ache. She was still sore, but it was bearable. She pried her eyes open, taking more effort than it ought to have, and found herself looking up at the ceiling of a too-bright room.

Something put pressure on her hand and she turned to see Neji sitting by her bed, his eyes full of worry as he took her in. The pressure came again and she realized he was holding her hand; he must have been squeezing it unintentionally.

She tried to say his name but her throat had closed up at the sight of him. Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes and fell down her face onto the pillow beneath. She didn't think she would see him again.

Neji brushed her tears away with gentle touches, his eyes softer than she had ever seen before. His throat worked, as though he was struggling with words. Finally, he said, "You are safe, Tenten."

Safe. It almost didn't seem possible. She had been convinced she wouldn't survive and yet here she was. Neji wasn't a figment of her imagination—he was real. He was here. A sob escaped her as reality sunk in. She had lived.

A door opened from somewhere out of her vision and she heard Tsunade's relieved voice. "I'm glad to see you awake, Tenten. You had us scared for a while there."

Tenten turned her head so she could see her former heroine. She wanted to ask how she had gotten back to the village, but her throat was so dry she couldn't get the words out.

"Your teammates saved your life, Tenten," Tsunade told her. "If it hadn't been for the food pill Lee gave you, you wouldn't have made it back to the village alive in time. Even so, I almost lost you despite my best efforts." She touched Tenten's arm, a proud smile on her lips. "But you pulled through."

Neji held a cup out for her and eased his hand behind her neck to help her drink. Even that small effort was exhausting for Tenten and she wanted nothing more than to sleep again.

Tsunade patted her shoulder. "You took a lot of damage, so it will take you some time to get your energy back. I don't want to see you overexerting yourself before you're ready." She flicked her gaze to Neji. "Keep an eye on her."

"I will not leave her side," he promised.

After Tsunade left, Neji helped her drink some more before telling her to get some rest. Tenten closed her eyes and felt his hand slip into hers again. It was a comforting gesture and the pressure of his thumb trailing along the back of her palm soothed her into sleep.

.

.

.

Neji could have shouted in joy when he first saw Tenten open her eyes. Tsunade had spent almost twelve hours trying to heal her, and she had not woken up for another three days. In all that time, Neji barely left her side. Lee came every day, sitting with Neji for long periods of time, neither of them saying anything as they held Tenten's hand and watched her breathing slowly become stronger.

He had been on many missions as Team Leader where things went wrong, but Neji had never felt as fearful as he had when he found Tenten close to death. He knew he cared about her—loved her, if he were being honest with himself—and that was the first time he had come close to almost losing her forever. Neji promised himself that it would never happen again.

He refused to lose her a second time.

.

.

.

They received word from Gai a month after Tenten's injury. She hadn't wanted to worry her sensei and she suspected Lee had wrote him. Still, it made her happy to see his messy scribble, hearing his voice in her head as she read his words.

She still wasn't one hundred percent better yet. Tsunade had done her best, but a lot of her energy had been spent healing Tenten's life threatening injuries. For the first couple of weeks after her attack, Tenten had to have both her arms in slings—one for her broken wrist and the other for her torn tendon which had to heal without being moved. It was humiliating not being able to do anything herself, but none of her friends had made her feel like a burden. Neji and Lee helped her to eat and sit up, and her female friends, as well as the nurses in the hospital, assisted her with dressing, bathing and using the facilities.

Tenten was well enough to be out of the hospital now and her slings had been removed, but she still had to take things slow. No training for at least another month, Tsunade had ordered her. Tenten didn't like being left out of her team's training, but she always made sure to watch her comrades as they sparred together each day.

Neji hovered over her like she was an injured animal, which she supposed she was in a way. At first it was flattering, knowing that he cared so much about her well-being. But after a month of seeing the constant worry in his eyes, she was getting sick of it. She was a strong woman and she didn't like being treated like a fragile vase.

The last straw was when they ate lunch at Naruto's favourite ramen place. Ino and Sakura had joined their team and they were all enjoying the peaceful atmosphere when Tenten's arm seized up, spasming so much she lost her grip on her chopsticks.

Neji was there in an instant, his hands gentle as they rubbed her skin soothingly. His eyes searched hers for any sign of pain and Tenten had to fight the urge to glare at her comrade. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Neji. It happens every now and again since the tendon is still healing. You don't need to freak out each time." She pulled her arm away from his grasp, leaving his hands grasping the air between them.

"You have to be careful, Tenten. You are still healing."

Tenten glanced at her friends, who were taking in their conversation with avid interest. Lee looked concerned but he didn't say anything. Tenten sighed. "I'm _fine._ Stop hovering." She pushed away from the table and stood up, her appetite lost. She didn't want to argue with him but she knew that if she stayed, she would.

Neji looked upset at her words. He hid his emotions well, but she knew him well enough to know the slight tightening of his jaw and his furrowed brow indicated his hurt. "I am only trying to help you, Tenten. You do not need to get mad."

She resisted the urge to sigh again. Truthfully, she didn't know why she was getting so mad. She was frustrated with herself for not being able to do much, but that wasn't Neji's fault. He was doing his best to help her recover as quickly as possible. But at the same time, his help irritated her. She didn't want him to see her as weak and needing help. She was a capable shinobi—she could look after herself.

Tenten turned to her friends and sent them an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I think I'll just go home for now."

"I will walk with you," Neji offered, stepping away to give her space to move.

"No." Her tone was harsher than she had meant it and she saw him flinch. "No," she said again, calmer this time. "That won't be necessary. Stay here and finish your lunch."

Without waiting to see if he listened to her, Tenten turned and left.

.

.

.

Neji sunk into his chair and covered his face in his hands as a deep sigh forced itself out of his body. He didn't know what he was doing wrong. Tenten was still in pain after her attack—he saw how she tried to hide it—and all he wanted to do was help her. But she didn't seem to want his assistance anymore.

A hand touched his shoulder consolingly. "Do not take it to heart, Neji," Lee said. "You know that Tenten is stubborn."

He shook his head, still buried in his hands. "I am only trying to help her, Lee. Why is she refusing it?"

"What exactly are you doing to help her?" Sakura asked from her place beside Lee. "Maybe we can figure out why she is acting so stubborn."

Neji released another sigh and sat back, shrugging his shoulders at her question. "I visit her to make sure she is okay. I worry she might hurt herself if she does too much, so I bring her food and I offer to take her places she needs to go."

Sakura shook her head. "No wonder she's mad at you, Neji. You're acting like a worried boyfriend."

"You know Tenten is a very independent person," Ino added. "But you're taking away her independence by doing everything for her."

Neji frowned, not quite understanding. "But she is hurt. I am only trying to help."

"We know you are," Sakura replied. "And I'm sure she appreciates your help. But you also need to let her stand on her own two feet again. She went through a traumatic event and needs to get back into her normal routine. She needs to know that she is still capable of looking after herself. You're not giving her that opportunity."

He still didn't like it. He knew Tenten was capable of looking after herself. She was a strong and fierce shinobi. But Neji wanted to look after her. He looked up at the females at the table. "What do you suggest I do, then?"

"Give her space," Ino told him. "Let her do things on her own. If she needs help, she'll ask for it."

Neji grumbled, not liking their advice. He didn't want to give her space. But if it would stop her from becoming angry at him, he would do it. "Fine, I will try and give her more space."

.

.

.

It was Tenten's first mission since her near-death experience three months ago. She had started training again with her teammates last month but had to ease back into her movements, since they left her drained quicker than she would have liked. It just made her train harder though, despite the protests she received from Neji.

Neji had given her space, thankfully, but he still hovered more than necessary. Even now, as they flew through the trees on the way to Sunagakure, he constantly looked back at her to make sure she was still there. It was as if he thought she would fall behind or disappear if he didn't check on her—even though he could see her perfectly well with his byuakugan without needing to turn around.

They came to an abrupt halt, Neji holding his arms out to the side to stop them from passing as he scanned the distance. He held up two fingers, telling his team that there were two enemies in front of them. He signalled for his team to split up and surround them, and Lee and Sakura did as he ordered.

"Stay close to me," he told Tenten, his hand gripping her wrist before she had a chance to leap away.

Tenten stared at him, her mouth open in shock. This was not how they did things. Tenten was their long-distance fighter; she always had their back while her teammates took the foreground. She couldn't follow Neji into battle.

She shook her head and pulled her arm out of his grip. "I don't think so, Neji."

He glared at her. "You do not leave my sight, Tenten. That is an order."

"You're _ordering_ me to stay close? Dammit Neji, I thought you had gotten over coddling me. I'm _fine!_ Let me do my job so you can do yours."

"We do not have time to argue. You will listen to me as your Team Leader, Tenten, or I will leave you here away from the fight."

Tenten glared at the Jounin in front of her, more angry than she had been in a long time. "Why are you doing this, Neji? You can't keep treating me like a fragile piece of china!"

He was in front of her so fast Tenten almost stumbled back, his face so close to hers that he blocked the view of the surrounding trees. "I will not lose you again, Tenten. I refuse. So if that means I have to keep you by my side, then I will do so."

Tenten was taken aback by his words. They were spoken with such force she would be an idiot not to believe he meant them. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared back at him. "Do you trust me with your life, Neji?"

Neji didn't hesitate before replying, "Of course."

"Then trust me with my own life. What happened last time was a rare occurrence; it won't happen again. I can look after myself. There's no need for you to be so worried." She took a step back. "You said we don't have time to argue. Everyone is waiting for your signal, so get into position."

With that, she leapt away from him.

.

.

.

Neji knew it might not be a good idea, but he couldn't stop himself from seeing her, despite the late hour. They hadn't spoken of his outburst on their most recent mission, and Neji didn't know what to make of that. Did his confession mean nothing to her? Of course, he hadn't confessed his undying love for he—not exactly. But he thought she would have gotten the point by his words. Perhaps he had been wrong.

The thought of losing her was almost too painful to bear. Neji knew he had been in love with his chocolate eyed teammate for many years, but he had never acted on those feelings. In his mind, they had plenty of time to grow their relationship to something more intimate than teammates. But after watching her life ebb away in front of his eyes, he realized just how fleeting life is. Neji did not want to miss out on the chance of being with her in the way he wished to be, not when either of their lives could be taken so quickly.

His mind made up, Neji hurried along the quiet streets of the village until he came upon her apartment. He hesitated for only a moment before reaching out to knock firmly on her door.

Tenten looked shocked to see him upon opening the door and she ran her eyes over his nightclothes, her eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "What are you doing here?"

It was suddenly difficult for Neji to speak and he had to take a deep breath before he was able to find his voice. "I do not want to wait anymore."

"Wait?" Tenten's eyes widened briefly before narrowing, a look he knew meant she was unimpressed. "If you're saying you want to train, I will have to remind you that it is barely one in the morning."

"No." Neji shook his head, wanting desperately to reach out and touch her face. The desire was foreign to him, but it felt right, and it took every ounce of control he had to keep his arms by his side. "We need to talk, Tenten."

Tenten leaned forward and poked her head through the doorway to look both ways down the street. "I would invite you inside, but my neighbours are gossips. What is it you want to say?"

It was Neji's turn to raise his brows. "They would be awake at midnight, sitting by their windows?"

"Trust me, the women on this street are gossip hounds. They always seem to know everybody's business."

"Fine." Neji didn't want to talk about this on her doorstep in his nightclothes, but he also refused to wait another minute, either. "Why have you not confronted me about what I said to you on our mission?"

She raised an eyebrow at his question. "Was I supposed to? You were just being overly cautious. I wasn't impressed, but I forgive you for stepping out of line."

"'Overly cautious'?" Neji felt like growling in annoyance, something he—a Hyuga—had never in his life done before. Did she think he said that because he was worried about her as a teammate? "You cannot think of another reason why I said what I did?"

"Nothing that would warrant you needing to come to my house in the middle of the night."

.

.

.

Tenten had never seen Neji so mad. He was staring at her like she was missing something huge, but Tenten didn't know what it was. She had thought, for a brief moment, that his declaration had been out of a romantic concern for her, but she knew that could not be possible. He was a Hyuga, a member of the most elite clan in the village. Of course, he was from the side branch, but even so, she wasn't someone he would see as a romantic interest. He would need someone who would fit in with his clan—a woman who was quiet, peaceful and who didn't talk back to the men of the house. Tenten spoke her mind and didn't care who she upset.

Neji sighed in frustration, his jaw working as he tried to maintain his composure. It wasn't often that he lost his cool, and it was interesting to see him do it in front of her. "Are you clueless, Tenten? Or do you think so little of me that you could not fathom me having feelings for you?" He took a step toward her, his light eyes intent on her dark ones. "I do not wish to lose _you_. I want to keep _you_ safe. I am worried about _you._ Do you really not know what I mean?"

Tenten had to step back as he advanced and she would have stumbled over the mat leading into the house if he had not reached out to steady her. His words played over and over in her mind until she could only come up with one solution. "But, you're a Hyuga."

A low sound came from deep in his throat and Tenten jumped. She had never heard him make that noise before. "So?"

"Isn't there some sort of tradition in your clan, or something?" She would not get ahead of herself by getting her hopes up. Better to know now than find out down the track she couldn't really be with him. Not that it would hurt any less, whether now or in the future—she would be heartbroken either way.

"Do you think I care about tradition?" he asked, a snarl on his lips. He had her backed against the wall and he leaned in close to her, scant inches from her face. She had never seen him look so angry, even when talking about his clan.

"No," she whispered, unable to even shake her head. Tenten knew how much Neji hated his clan's traditions.

His hand came up to caress her cheek, the soft touch a vast contrast to his angry words. He brushed her loose hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear before cupping her cheek in his hand. His thumb brushed over her skin, his touch soft. "I am going to kiss you now, Tenten. Say no if you do not wish me to."

Her eyes widened at his words, but she knew she couldn't say no even if she wanted to. Her voice was stuck in her throat with him so close to her, his eyes turning to look at her lips before he slowly bent down to taste her for the first time.

The kiss was soft, his mouth barely touching hers on his first pass. His gaze flicked to her eyes to gauge her reaction. When he saw no rejection, he leaned close again, pressing his lips more firmly to hers.

"I am in love with you, Tenten," he whispered, breaking away from her lips to rest his forehead against hers. His lavender eyes stared into hers and she had to hold back the tears from springing to her eyes at the warmth she found in their depth.

She reached her arm up to cup the side of his face, her smile soft but full of happiness as she stared back at him. "And I you, Neji. For a long time now."

.

.

.

"I have some conditions, though." Tenten said, her hand moving from his cheek to rest against his chest.

Neji narrowed his eyes at her. He would refuse her conditions if he didn't like them. "What are they?"

"First, you can't hover over me. I'm not weak, Neji. You have to let me be my own person."

"I know you are not weak, Tenten. I just worry about you. But I will try and be less… hovery in the future."

Tenten snorted at such an uncharacteristic word coming out of his mouth. She leaned up to peck his lips. "Thank you. My second condition is that we don't tell Lee about us until Gai returns. I know how excited Lee will be and I don't want him telling Gai before we get the chance to. I want to see his face when we tell him."

Neji nodded. He could deal with those conditions, though it would be hard for him to give her the space she desired, at least for a while. He still had nightmares about that horrific day and didn't think they would pass until he was able to hold her in his arms, to assure himself she was fine.

"I agree to your conditions," he replied, his hand reaching out to caress her cheek again. How he had longed to touch her so freely, and now that he could, he feared he wouldn't be able to stop. "But I have one of my own."

"Oh?" Tenten wound her arms around his waist and Neji was only too happy to step closer to her inviting warmth. "What would that be?"

"You are not allowed to die on me. Ever." He knew he sounded ridiculous—they couldn't see into the future after all—but he still wanted to hear her say it.

Her smile held a touch of amusement, but her eyes were warm as she gazed at him. Reaching up, she brushed another kiss to his lips and he pressed back, lingering for a few moments before pulling away. "I won't," she promised. "But the same goes for you too. You can't die on me, Neji. I won't let you."

"Never," he agreed, pulling her into another kiss, deeper than the last.

For the first time in his existence as a Hyuga, here in the arms of the woman he loved, Neji finally felt free.

**Author's Note:**

> This was only supposed to be a short oneshot, based soley on the first part - I was even thinking of having Tenten die, and Neji mourning her loss, or something. But instead, it turned out like this. This is one that I'm not 100% happy with, but it's been sitting in my stories list for a month or so now, and I can't keep looking at it, so here it is. XD  
> I hope you all enjoyed it. I know it's long, and it jumps from both of their POVs quite often, so I hope that doesn't irritate anyone.  
> Please let me know by means of a review what you thought. Thank you for reading and for your continued support for my NejiTen fics! <3


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